Work from what I can hear
Your next focus comes from your actual playing, not a generic lesson sequence.
Personal saxophone coaching
Personal help with the music you’re actually trying to play.
Sometimes one useful piece of feedback is enough. Sometimes it helps to listen again, try something, and keep working on it together. Personal Saxophone Coaching gives you ongoing, practical feedback on your own playing — so you know what to focus on next.
A quick welcome
See what working together actually feels like.
A short welcome video here lets me explain the rhythm of the coaching in my own voice — what you send, what I listen for, how I set your Weekly Focus, and why the whole thing stays centred on music you actually want to play.
Why ongoing coaching
Sometimes the next thing you need is someone to listen again.
One small change can reveal the next thing to work on. Ongoing coaching means I can hear what changed, keep the advice connected to your actual playing, and help you build from there without throwing an entire curriculum at you.
And if you’re right at the beginning of your playing journey, that can be a particularly useful time to get a few things pointed in the right direction. Good advice around setup, first sounds, breath support, hand position and practice habits can save you from wrestling with avoidable habits later. My preference has always been to get the fundamentals working in service of music as quickly as possible, so even at the beginning you are working toward a sound and a tune that actually feels like music.
Build on what changes
I can listen again after you’ve tried something and adjust the next step from there.
Start well, not perfectly
Beginners are very welcome. A few clear pointers early can make the instrument feel much less mysterious.
How it works
A simple weekly rhythm.
Play, send, listen, focus, repeat. The coaching stays practical and tied to the music in front of you.
Send me your playing
Share a focused recording, the tune you’re working on and anything that feels difficult or uncertain.
I listen properly
I listen for what matters most right now — musically and technically — rather than trying to fix everything at once.
I set your Weekly Focus
You get a clear next priority, with written, audio or video guidance and demonstrations where they genuinely help.
Work on it and come back
Ask related questions in the same thread, try the focus in your playing, and we continue from what changed.
What you receive
Personal guidance based on your playing.
A personal Weekly Focus
Set around the most useful next priority in your playing.
Up to four review / focus cycles each month
A clear monthly rhythm without turning coaching into an always-open inbox.
Feedback in the format that helps most
Written, audio or video feedback and demonstrations where useful.
Questions inside the active focus
Related clarifications and practice questions can continue in the same thread.
One private coaching history
A single point of reference for your current focus, recordings, replies and earlier coaching, so you can look back without piecing the work together from different places.
What we can work on
Bring me the music you are actually trying to play.
The tune gives us a real musical context. From there we can work on the technique underneath it as well — so you are not just learning the notes, you are learning how to make the music feel comfortable, supported and musical.
Starting well
First sounds, setup, breath support, embouchure, hand position and practice habits when you are new to the saxophone.
Tone across the register
Finding a more even, comfortable sound from low to high.
Breath and phrase shape
Making lines feel supported and letting phrases breathe rather than simply getting through the notes.
Finger coordination and dexterity
Targeted technical exercises when the fingers need to become more reliable for the music you are playing.
Rhythm and backing tracks
Settling into time and making the music sit properly with the track.
Articulation and connection
Getting notes to speak and connect in a way that matches the style.
Getting a tune performance-ready
Turning ‘I know the notes’ into a version that feels good enough to enjoy playing — and to feel proud of sharing.
Choosing what to practise next
Cutting through the noise and putting your effort where it will help most.
Who it is for
This will probably suit you if…
You are an adult beginner or intermediate saxophone player who wants to learn music you love, make it feel genuinely musical, and build playing you can feel proud of.
A good fit
- You want help with real music rather than a giant curriculum.
- You want to learn tunes you genuinely love — and make them sound like music other people would enjoy hearing too.
- You are comfortable sending recordings, even when they are still a work in progress.
- You are happy to work on one useful priority at a time.
- You want a calm, practical coaching relationship rather than a high-pressure academy.
Probably not the right fit
- You need instant technical support or always-on messaging.
- You want formal exam accreditation or a fixed graded syllabus.
- You expect a scheduled live Zoom-style lesson every week to be included.
Your private coaching area
One private place for the work we’re doing together.
Your Weekly Focus, recordings, feedback and follow-up stay together in one place. I create the coaching thread for each Weekly Focus; you reply inside it, so the conversation stays connected to the work we are doing that week.
It also gives you one clear point of reference for your coaching history, so you can return to an earlier idea without hunting through scattered messages.
Illustrative portal preview — the live coaching area may vary.
Weekly Focus 04 — phrasing and timing
Andy
I’d like you to focus on where the phrase relaxes into the backing track. Try the first eight bars again and don’t worry about making it louder.
You
This already feels easier. Here’s today’s attempt.
▶ Recording · 2:18
Andy
Yes — much better. The timing is settling. One small thing to try next.
Personal saxophone coaching
A simple monthly coaching relationship.
A personal Weekly Focus from me, based on what I can actually hear in your playing — with a clear rhythm for reviews, questions and the next step.
One clear monthly subscription. No complicated package grid or application process.
Launch price
US$99 / month
Monthly subscription · billed in USD
Includes a personal Weekly Focus set by Andy, with up to four personal review / focus cycles in each monthly subscription period and related support inside the active coaching thread.
- Personal Weekly Focus based on your own playing
- Up to four review / focus cycles each month
- Written, audio or video feedback where appropriate
- Related questions inside the current focus
- Private coaching history
You can cancel at any time. There is no cancellation fee. Cancellation normally takes effect at the end of your current paid billing period, and your paid access continues until then.
Not ready to join yet? Try free personal playing feedback first.Response rhythm
You can send things when it suits you.
I set aside two dedicated coaching blocks each week, usually Tuesdays and Thursdays.
You can send your recording or questions whenever it suits you; I’ll normally pick them up in the next coaching block, and sometimes sooner if I have room.
Post when you are ready
Your practice does not have to fit somebody else’s appointment calendar.
I work through coaching in focused blocks
That gives your playing proper attention rather than turning coaching into constant message-checking.
You normally hear from me in the next block
Sometimes sooner when I have room — but there is no promise of instant or continuous availability.
A few useful questions
Before you decide.
I’m just starting out — is this suitable for me?
Yes. Starting out can be one of the best times to get a few things pointed in the right direction. We can work on setup, first sounds, breath support, hand position, simple technique and sensible practice habits before small frustrations turn into stubborn habits.
Do I need to be an advanced player?
No. This is intended primarily for adult beginner and intermediate players who want practical help with real music — the sort of music you love playing and would like to feel proud of when somebody else is listening.
Is this a live lesson every week?
No. The coaching is asynchronous rather than a scheduled Zoom-style lesson. You send your playing and questions; I listen and respond personally. Depending on what will help most, that response may be written, audio or video, and I can demonstrate things for you when seeing or hearing an example is more useful than another paragraph of text.
Can we work on a specific tune?
Absolutely. A real tune is often the best place to work because it gives the technique a purpose. If the music shows that you need a technical exercise — perhaps for breath support, articulation, finger coordination, rhythm, tone or control — I’ll give you that work as well. The aim is not simply to learn the notes; it is to help you play the tune well.
Can I ask questions between reviews?
Yes. Related clarifications and practice questions can continue inside the active Weekly Focus. If a question opens up a substantial new tune, recording or topic, I may move that into a later Weekly Focus so the coaching stays useful and focused.
How many reviews do I receive?
The coaching follows a weekly rhythm, with up to four personal Weekly Focus / review cycles in each monthly subscription period.
How quickly will Andy respond?
I set aside two dedicated coaching blocks each week, usually Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can send your recording or questions whenever it suits you; I’ll normally pick them up in the next coaching block, and sometimes sooner if I have room.
How long do I have access?
Your subscription access continues through your current paid billing period. If you cancel, cancellation normally takes effect at the end of that period. Personal information and privacy requests — including access, correction or deletion where applicable — are handled separately under the JWA Privacy Policy.
What if I have an account or payment problem?
Use the JWA Support pathway for account, access, billing, subscription or technical help. Coaching questions stay inside your private coaching area.
When you’re ready
Let’s keep working on it together.
If this feels like the right kind of support, I’d be glad to keep working on your playing with you. If you arrived here after free feedback from me, there’s no obligation to continue — the feedback you already received is yours to use.